Cable protection and guide device

ABSTRACT

A cable protection and guide device comprising a number of pairs of right and left spaced side plates articulately connected to each other in a longitudinal direction wherein the plates are identical and interchangeable. Each of the link plates includes an arc shaped concavity, a convex portion and, the convex portion of the next adjacent link plate interengages the arc shaped concavity of the link plate. The arc shaped concavity includes a warp limiting lock groove and the convex portion includes an arc-shaped warp limiting lock piece The arc-shaped warp limiting lock piece of the convex portion interengages the arc-shaped warp-up limiting groove of the arc shaped concavity of link plate so that the warping of the link plates is substantially eliminated. The manufacturing cost for a single link plate used in a cable protection and guide device is reduced by half.

This patent application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-206079 filed Aug. 8, 2007.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cable protection and guide device which securely protects and guides a flexible cable. The device may guide an electrical cable, a hydraulic hose, a pneumatic hose, or an optical fiber cable. The device may be used in connection with a machine tool, an electric device, an industrial robot, or a machine used in transporting objects. The cables may carry electric energy and electric signals to the remote end of the moving machine or the movable portions of the machine.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

FIG. 2 of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-10087 is a known cable protection and guide device which includes a number of link frame bodies each comprising a pair of right and left spaced link plates and connecting plates respectively bridged over a bending outer circumferential side and a bending inner circumferential side of the link plates.

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-10087, the pair of right and left link plates must be molded by separate right and left metal molds. As such, the production cost of the link plates is high as the manufacturing costs are doubled because two molds are needed. Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2007-10087, the supply of left and right link plates must be managed so that they are properly inserted for assembly and for replacement.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a cable protection and guide device wherein the mold manufacturing cost is cut in half by using one mold. It is a further object to eliminate any error due to connection and incorporation of the link plates. Still further, it is an object of the invention to make the management of the parts easy and simple.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

A cable protection and guide device is disclosed which comprises: a number of pairs of right and left spaced side plates articulately connected to each other in a longitudinal direction enabling said side plates to form a flexional circumferential bend having a flexional inner circumferential side and flexional outer circumferential side; each of the side plates includes a flexional inner circumferential side residing during bending on the flexional inner circumferential side of the bend; each of the side plates includes an outer circumferential side residing during bending on the outer flexional circumferential side of the bend; each of the link plates includes a front side portion and a rear side portion; connecting plates; the connecting plates are respectively bridged over the bending inner circumferential side and the bending outer circumferential side of the pairs of right and left spaced link plates; connecting pins residing in the front side portion of each of the link plates; the link plates include connecting pin holes in the rear side portion of each of the link plates; a cable accommodating space formed by pivotally connecting the link plates to the next adjacent link plates in a longitudinal direction of the cable; a cable residing within the cable accommodating space, and, the link plates are identical and interchangeable.

A cable protection and guide device is disclosed wherein each of the link plates includes: an arc shaped concavity; a convex portion; and, the convex portion of the next adjacent link plate interengages the arc shaped concavity of the subsequent link plate.

A cable protection and guide device is further disclosed wherein each of the link plates includes: an arc shaped concavity; the arc shaped concavity includes a warp-up limiting lock groove; a convex portion; the convex portion includes an arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece; and, the arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece of the convex portion of the next adjacent link plate interengages the arc-shaped warp limiting groove of the arc shaped concavity so that warpage of the link plates is limited.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

According to the cable protection and guide device of the present invention the connecting plates are respectively bridged over a bending inner circumferential side and a bending outer circumferential side of pairs of right and left spaced link plates. The cable protection and guide device, comprises, a number of pairs of right and left spaced side plates articulately connected to each other in a longitudinal direction enabling the side plates to form a flexional circumferential bend having a flexional inner circumferential side and flexional outer circumferential side; each of the side plates includes a flexional inner circumferential side residing during bending on the flexional inner circumferential side of the bend; each of the side plates includes an outer circumferential sides side residing during bending on the outer flexional circumferential side of the bend; each of the link plates includes a front side portion and a rear side portion; connecting plates; the connecting plates are respectively bridged over the bending inner circumferential side and the bending outer circumferential side of the pairs of right and left spaced link plates; connecting pins residing in the front side portion of each of the link plates; the link plates include connecting pin holes (recesses) in the rear side portion of each of the link plates; a cable accommodating space formed by pivotally connecting the link plates to the next adjacent link plates in a longitudinal direction of the cable; a cable residing within the cable accommodating space, and, the link plates are identical and interchangeable.

The link plates each have a singular plate shape (i.e., the plates are identical) molded by a single metal mold. Thus, manufacturing costs for the link plates is reduced by half because only one mold is necessary. The same link plate may be used as a right link plate or a left link plate. Further, there is no error upon connection and incorporation of the link plates even if the link plates are randomly connected to each other. Thus parts management is not a problem because all of the parts are the same.

A bending operation area limiting concave portion is formed along an arc in the side plate. The arc is coaxially spaced from the connecting pin or the connecting pin hole. A convex portion of the next adjacent plate is fitted to the bending operation area limiting concave portion in a concave element/convex element engagement which allows rotational relative movement between the plates. The concave portion and the convex portion are respectively provided on opposite side surfaces of the link plates. The link plates are connected in the longitudinal direction so that bending (rotational movement) between the front side portion and the rear side portion of adjacent link plates is limited. The degree or extent of rotational movement between adjacent link plates during operation of the device in a bending fashion is limited. Similarly, a linear position during linear movement of the device is reliably achieved. Further, the transition between linear and rotational movement of the links plates is reliably achieved so that the cable can be smoothly protected and guided.

A short arc-shaped warp-up (i.e. warp) limiting lock piece of the convex portion of the link plate is fitted to the short arc-shaped warp-up (i.e. warp) limiting lock groove of the next adjacent link plate in a concave/convex engagement. The short arc-shaped warp-up (i.e. warp) limiting lock piece of the convex portion of the link plate and the (i.e. warp) limiting lock groove reside on opposite surfaces of the link plate. The link plates, of course, are connected in the longitudinal direction of the cable. When an external force such as warp-up (warping or twisting) in the width direction occurs at the front side portions and the rear side portions of the adjacent link plates during bending, the short arc-shaped warp limiting lock groove and the short arc-shaped warp limiting lock piece, formed along the arc path, deform an outer circumferential edge of the link plated to be warped up so that a torsional phenomenon is produced between the outer circumferential edge and related facing inner circumferential edge of the link plates and disengagement is resisted in the width direction. As a result warp-up (warping) in the width direction at a front side portion and a rear side portion between adjacent link plates is restricted so that inadvertent disengagement between the link plates can be prevented. The short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock groove and the short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece are fitted to each other in a concave element/convex element engagement without deformation during a connection and incorporation operation between link plates because previous twisting of the device has been prevented allowing easy maintenance and interchangeability of the link plates. Thus the connection and incorporation operation between link plates can be easily realized. The engagement structure, to wit, the short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock groove and the short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece is simple and it is easy to make a metal mold therefor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a use form view of a cable or the like protection and guide device, which is a first example according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection state between link plates in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement state of link plates.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the link plate used in the first example of the present invention viewed from a cable accommodating space side.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the link plate shown in FIG. 4 viewed from the outside of the cable accommodating space.

FIG. 6 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between link plates viewed from the cable accommodating space side.

FIG. 7 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between the link plates from the outside of the cable accommodating space.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a connection state between link plates in the second example of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the link plate used in the second example of the present invention viewed from a cable accommodating space side.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the link plate shown in FIG. 9 viewed from the outside of the cable accommodating space.

FIG. 11 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between link plates viewed from the cable accommodating space side.

FIG. 12 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between the link plates from the outside of the cable accommodating space.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A cable protection and guide device, which is an example of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12.

EXAMPLE

FIG. 1 is a view of a cable protection and guide device, which is a first example according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection state between link plates in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement of link plates. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the link plate used in the first example of the present invention viewed from a cable accommodating space side. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the link plate shown in FIG. 4 viewed from the outside of the cable accommodating space. FIG. 6 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between link plates viewed from the cable accommodating space side. FIG. 7 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between the link plates from the outside of the cable accommodating space. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a connection state between link plates in the second example of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the link plate used in the second example of the present invention viewed from a cable accommodating space side. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the link plate shown in FIG. 9 viewed from the outside of the cable accommodating space. FIG. 11 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between link plates viewed from the cable accommodating space side. FIG. 12 is a partially cut out perspective view of a connection state between the link plates from the outside of the cable accommodating space.

A cable protection and guide device 100, which is a first example according to the present invention, is used for protecting and guiding a cable C such as an electric cable, which performs a transmission of electric signals or a supply of power. Instead of an electric cable, a hose, which supplies hydraulic pressure or pneumatic pressure, may be used in the cable accommodating space R. The electric cable connects between a movable portion M and a stationary portion F of, for instance, a plasma display, a semiconductor production device or a vehicle as shown in FIG. 1. Thus the cable protection and guide device 100 assumes a linear position state or a bending position state in accordance with movement conditions between the movable portion M and the stationary portion F.

As shown in FIG. 2, the above-described cable protection and guide device 100 is molded of a glass fiber reinforced polyamide resin which exhibits excellent strength properties. The cable protection and guide device 100 is manufactured by interconnecting pairs of right and left spaced link plates 110, 110 together. Bending inner circumferential side connecting plates 120 are each attachably bridged over a bending inner circumferential side of these link plates 110, 110. Bending outer circumferential side connecting plates (not shown) are each attachably bridged over a bending outer circumferential side of these link plates 110, 110 to form a rectangular shape, in cross-section, of the device.

The link plates include a front side portion and rear side portion. The above-described link plate 110 can be arranged as a right or left link plate and connected in a longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 3. Arrows in FIG. 3 show alternate positions that the link plates may assume. The arrows are meant to show that the same link plate can be used anywhere in the device, to wit, on the right or left side of the device.

Further, the link plate 110, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a front side portion and a rear side portion form a stepped, a so-called off-set, structure in the plate thickness direction. The front side portion of this link plate 110 is provided with a connection pin hole 111, and the rear side portion of this link plate 110 is provided with a connecting pin 112 having substantially the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the connecting pin hole 111 into which the connecting pin 112 is fitted.

It is noted that the reference numeral 114 shown in FIG. 4 denotes a bending guide pin, which is fitted to the bending guide hole (recess) 113 and guided. Reference numeral 113 shown in FIG. 5 denotes a bending guide hole (recess) by which adjacent link plates 110, 110 are pivoted with respect to each other and bent (rotated).

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, link plates 110, 110 are continuously interconnected with the next adjacent link plate. The front and rear portions of the link plates are connected to each other by fitting a connecting pin 112 to a connecting pin hole 111. The link plates 110, 110 can be bent (rotated with respect to each other) by being pivoted about the connecting pin 112.

Further, the front side portion and the rear side portion of the link plate 110 are respectively provided with a bend limiting concave portion 115 (sometimes referred to hereafter as a bending limiting concave portion) and a bend limiting convex portion 116 (sometimes referred to hereafter as a bending operation convex portion) formed along arc paths L coaxially spaced from the connecting pin 112 or the connecting pin hole 111.

A given plate has a preceding link plate which comes before it in the device. Sometimes the preceding plate is referred to herein as the next adjacent plate to the given plate. A given plate also has a subsequent link plate which comes after the given plate in the device. Sometimes the subsequent link plate is referred to herein as the next adjacent link plate.

A bending operation area limiting concave portion 115 on the front portion of a given link plate and a bending operation area limiting convex portion 116 provided on a rear side portion of the preceding link plate 110 are fitted together. A bending operation area limiting convex portion 116 on the rear portion of given link plate and a bending operation area limiting concave portion 115 provided on the front side portion of the subsequent link plate 110 are also fitted together. The link plates engage in a concave/convex arrangement and limit relative movement. Thus the bending operation areas in the front side portions and rear side portions of the link plates 110, 110 are limited so that relative rotational movement and stable linear position during linear movement can be achieved. Further, transition between linear movement and rotational movement of the device is reliably achieved to smoothly protect and guide a cable C.

In the cable protection and guide device 100 of the first example the link plates 110 have a singular plate shape, to wit, they are identical (common to each other) and interchangeable. As such, the side plates are used in any position in the device and they are common to each other and can be molded from a single metal mold. Thus molding/manufacturing cost for the link plate is reduced by half. Further, there is no chance of error upon connection and incorporation of the link plates 110 even if the link plates are at randomly connected to each other. Thus the effects of the first example of the invention are very large.

A cable protection and guide device 200, which is a second example according to the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 12 hereinbelow.

First, as compared with the above-described cable protection and guide device 100, which is the first example of the present invention, the cable protection and guide device 200, which is the second example of the present invention, is only different from the cable protection and guide device 100 in that the cable protection and guide device 200 includes a warp-up (i.e. warp) limiting mechanism for limiting the warp-up in the front side portion and the rear side portion of link plates 210, 210 in the width direction. The other basic structure of the cable protection and guide device 200 shown in FIG. 8 is substantially the same as the cable protection and guide device 100. The front side portion and the rear side portion of the link plate 210 each have a singular plate shape (common or identical plate shape) so that the link plate 210 can be arranged on either side of the device and all of the link plates can be used as preceding or subsequent link plates with respect to a given plate being referred to.

Therefore, in the explanation of the cable protection and guide device 200 of the second example, the explanation of elements of the cable protection and guide device 200 of the second example which are the same as portions of the above-described cable protection and guide device of the first example will be omitted. Reference numerals described above in the 100s (first example) having the same structure and function have been numbered using like reference numerals in the 200s (second example).

A warp-up limiting mechanism provided in the cable protection and guide device 200 of the second example will be described in detail based on FIGS. 8 to 12.

Opposite surfaces of link plates 210 connected in a longitudinal direction of the cable are respectively provided with a short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock groove 217 formed along a virtual arc path L coaxially spaced from a connecting pin 212 or a connecting pin hole 211. The lock grooves are in walls of the arc-shaped concavities of the link plate. A short arc-shaped warp-up limiting block piece 218 of the next adjacent link plate fits to the warp-up (warp) limiting block groove 217 in a concave element/convex element engagement and allows limited rotational movement of the adjacent and interconnected plates. See FIGS. 9 and 10 for a good view of the lock grooves 217 and block pieces 218.

It is noted that the reference numeral 218 a shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 denotes a warp-up limiting arc surface formed on the short arc-shaped warp-up limiting block piece 218.

The short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock grooves 217 are arranged in the bending operation area limiting concave portion 215 along a virtual arc path L. The short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock pieces 218 are arranged on the bending operation area limiting convex portion 216 along a virtual arc path L. The lock pieces 218 interengage the grooves 217 of the next adjacent link plate. When the device is bending, the limiting convex portions 216 include limiting lock pieces 218, 218 which substantially function as a series of arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock pieces interengaging a series of lock grooves 217. In other words, when the device bends, a plurality of pairs of link plates are bending with respect to each other and a plurality of lock pieces interengage a plurality of lock grooves. In this way warpage during bending is substantially prevented.

In the second example according to the present invention, link plates 210 each have a singular plate shape (i.e. they are identical) and can be arranged anywhere, for example, as any of the right or left link plates in the longitudinal direction of the cable. The link plates can thus be molded by a single metal mold. Thus the metal mold manufacturing cost for the link plates is reduced by half. A single link plate 210 performs all necessary functions and thus the manufacturing cost of a link plate metal mold can be reduced as only one mold is required. Further, since there is no error possible upon connection and incorporation of the link plates 210, even if the link plates 210 are at randomly connected to each other, management of parts is easy.

The short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock groove 217 formed along a virtual arc path L coaxially spaced from a connecting pin 212 or a connecting pin hole 211 is fitted to a short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece 218 in a concave element/convex element engagement to allow limited relative movement therebetween. The lock groove and the lock piece of the respective mating plates are provided on opposite surfaces of the link plates 210, 210 connected in the longitudinal direction of the cable. When the link plates 210, 210 are transferred from a linear state to a bending state, even if an inadvertent external torsional (twisting) is applied in the width direction between the front side portions and the rear side portions of the adjacent link plates 210, 210, large torsional resistance in the width direction is generated between interengaging surfaces of the adjacent link plates 210, 210. The opposed circumferential edges 219 between the link plates 210, 210 which would tend to otherwise warp (warp up) excessively come into contact with the next adjacent link plates in a torsion state so that warp-up in the width direction at a front side portion and a rear side portion between adjacent link plates 210, 210 is reliably restricted and inadvertent disengagement between the link plates 210, 210 is prevented. The engagement structure between the short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock groove 217 and the short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece 218 is simple to make and can be made from a single metal mold.

The short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock groove 217 and the short arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece 218 are fitted to each other in a concave element/convex element engagement without deformation thereof in the width direction during a connection and incorporation operation when assembling the device or replacing link plates. Thus the connection and incorporation operation between link plates 210, 210 is easily performed. Thus the effects of the second example are very large.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   100, 200 . . . Cable protection and guide device -   110, 210 . . . Link plate -   111, 211 . . . Connecting pin hole -   112, 212 . . . Connecting pin -   113, 213 . . . Bending guide hole -   114, 214 . . . Bending guide pin -   115 . . . Bending operation area limiting concave portion -   116 . . . Bending operation area limiting convex portion -   217 . . . Warp-up limiting lock groove -   218 . . . Warp-up limiting lock piece -   218 a . . . Warp-up limiting arc surface -   120, 220 . . . Bending inner circumferential side connecting plate -   C . . . Cable or the like -   R . . . Cable accommodating space -   L . . . Virtual arc path 

1. A cable protection and guide device, comprising, a number of pairs of right and left spaced side plates articulately connected to each other in a longitudinal direction enabling said side plates to form a flexional circumferential bend having a flexional inner circumferential side and flexional outer circumferential side; each of said side plates includes a flexional inner circumferential side residing during bending on said flexional inner circumferential side of said bend; each of said side plates includes and an outer circumferential sides side residing during bending on said outer flexional circumferential side of said bend; each of said link plates includes a front side portion and a rear side portion; connecting plates; said connecting plates are respectively bridged over said bending inner circumferential side and said bending outer circumferential side of said pairs of right and left spaced link plates; connecting pins residing in said front side portion of each of said link plates; said link plates include connecting pin holes (recesses) in said rear side portion of each of said link plates; a cable accommodating space formed by pivotally connecting said link plates to the next adjacent link plates in a longitudinal direction of the cable; a cable resides within said cable accommodating space, and, said link plates are identical and interchangeable.
 2. A cable protection and guide device according to claim 1, wherein each of said link plates includes: an arc shaped concavity; a convex portion; and, said convex portion of said next adjacent link plate interengages said arc shaped concavity of said link plate.
 3. A cable protection and guide device according to claim 1, wherein each of said link plates includes: an arc shaped concavity; said arc shaped concavity includes a warp limiting lock groove; a convex portion; said convex portion includes an arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece; and, said arc-shaped warp limiting lock piece of said convex portion of said next adjacent link plate interengages said arc-shaped warp-up limiting groove of said arc shaped concavity of said link plate so that warpage of said link plates is substantially eliminated.
 4. A cable protection and guide device according to claim 2, wherein: said arc shaped concavity includes a warp-up limiting lock groove; said convex portion includes an arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece; and, said arc-shaped warp-up limiting lock piece of said convex portion of said next adjacent link plate interengages said arc-shaped warp-up limiting groove of said arc shaped concavity of said link plate so that the warpage of said link plates is substantially eliminated. 